Human rights activist Sherbakova opens Shostakovich Days

Russian human rights activist Irina Scherbakowa opens the International Shostakovich Days in Gohrisch (Saxon Switzerland). The globally respected German scholar and cultural scientist is co-founder of the human rights organization Memorial, which deals with the reappraisal of Stalinism in the former Soviet Union and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.

Shostakovich is a musical chronicler of his era

She has admired Shostakovich since her childhood, Sherbakova explained in a statement from the festival, the 16th edition of which takes place from 26 to 29 June. "Dmitri Shostakovich can be described as a musical chronicler of his era. Many of his works document the horrors of the Stalin era and post-Stalinism, under which he suffered and worked."

"It is to his great credit that - in a difficult balancing act between state oppression and official recognition - he did not lose sight of the truthfulness and deep humanity in his music," emphasized the human rights activist. After the Russian attack on Ukraine, she left her home country and now lives in Germany.

Shostakovich had a vision of a better homeland

"Irina Shcherbakovich's achievements in coming to terms with Stalinist crimes cannot be overestimated, especially as she repeatedly reveals frightening parallels to our present day," explained Tobias Niederschlag, artistic director of the festival. This is exactly what we find with Shostakovich: "He also had a lifelong vision of a different, better Russia and his music still seems as relevant to us 50 years after his death as it did when it was written."

Shostakovich (1906-1975) is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century. In 1960, he composed his 8th string quartet in Gohrisch - a very personal work in which he expressed his suffering under the Soviet regime. Since 2010, the International Shostakovich Days have been held in Gohrisch in cooperation with the Staatskapelle Dresden. Since then, it has brought renowned artists and audiences from Germany and abroad to the idyllic location every year.